SHEFFIELD TOWNSHIP -- The corner of Broadway and 39th Street has seen its share of businesses come and go. But by February, a 4,000 square foot funeral home and crematorium will be the newest addition to the location.

Andras Crematory and Funeral Home Alternatives has been under construction since November. The building has undergone extensive renovations for its new role.

Owners Ken and Mary Andras also own Garland-Misencik Funeral Home in Amherst. They said the business on Broadway will be a unique addition to the area and will provide services people usually go elsewhere for.

"There is no funeral home in Lorain County with a cremator," Mary said.

Advertisement

The actual cremation unit, called a retort, will be able to reach temperatures of 1,600 degrees.

Some Sheffield Township residents vocalized their concern to township trustee after they heard a crematorium was being built so close to a residential community.

"The lady who called was worried about her property value going down; I don't think that's going to happen, but you have to be politically correct about these things," said Tim Mihalcik, a Sheffield Townshp trustee. "There's really nothing you can do."

Sheffield Township Zoning inspector, Mark Naro said the building is zoned for general business and can be used for anything that meets that criteria.

"The building has been vacant for about three years," Naro said. "The lot did not have to be rezoned; it was already a commercial business area.

Before the permit was approved, Sheffield Township Trustees consulted with assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Gerald Innes to make sure a crematorium could legally operate in that location.

"We wanted to get a legal opinion before any action was taken," Naro said. "But he said if we were to deny the permit, they would appeal it successfully. If they have a funeral home they are allowed to have a cremator."

Along with zoning approval, the owners had to get a permit from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to install and operate their retort.

"The only thing visible is the heat wave," Ken said.

"The afterburner actually burns up the smoke and smell, and the only thing that comes out of the stack is hot air."

Andras Crematory and Funeral Home Alternatives will provide full funeral services with a chapel.

A retail store selling tombs, burial vaults and funeral accessories will also be attached to the building.

Andras and his wife are certified crematory operators.

Ken Andras also is the owner of Cromco Vault Co. located at 840 Infirmary Road, Elyria.